


Public Relations

by barbaXcarisi (barbaXbenson)



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, Humor, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-14
Updated: 2019-01-14
Packaged: 2019-10-09 19:31:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17412899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/barbaXbenson/pseuds/barbaXcarisi
Summary: “Sonny,” Rafael whispered, panicked, as she approached, but Sonny had finally decided on his beers and was relaying the order to the bartender.“Oh my God, it is you,” the young woman gushed as soon as she got close enough. “I didn’t think there was any way you’d be hanging out in a place like this.”Now Rafael’s brow furrowed, panic giving way to confusion. “I’m sorry. Have we met before?”“Oh, no, I’m so sorry.” She placed her empty pint glass on the bar and instead of pulling back, she stayed there, squeezed between Rafael and the stranger next to him, leaning on the bar. “I’m Kristen.”“Rafael,” he said purely out of a reflexive need to be polite that his mother would be happy was still instilled in him.“Yes, I know. God, this is so embarrassing, but I’m such a big fan.”Fan? He didn’t have fans.





	Public Relations

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Power-Bottom-Barba (Cap_Against_The_Clap)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cap_Against_The_Clap/gifts).



> This is just a silly idea had that PBB really wanted to come to fruition for some reason. It was super fun to write and I hope you all enjoy!

“Sorry! Sorry!” A harried Sonny rushed up to Rafael on his barstool, peeling off his suit jacket as he did so and slinging it over the empty seat next to him, a seat that Rafael had fought hard to keep open in the growing after work crowd.

Punctuality used to be something that Rafael held dear. Rushing to school and then later to class and then to court, finding lateness to be an unforgivable quality in others, but years, and several meetings that ran over so that he was late to the next, had calmed him down a bit. And given Sonny’s job, he was rarely punctual. If Rafael got upset every time he was late, he’d always be upset.

However, this time was an exception. He hadn’t spent the half an hour he’d been waiting for Sonny in his seat at Forlini’s, on a barstool that had practically molded itself to his backside at this point. No, instead he was at some trendy bar in the East Village that Sonny just _had_ to try because he’d read an article in Time Out about their unique selection of craft beers.

Rafael found nothing appealing about craft beers, but Sonny had paired his dimples with a persuasive “C’mon, it’ll be fun,” and per usual, he’d found himself powerless against it.

“I would’ve ordered you something, but I didn’t know which one you’d want to try.” Rafael, already halfway through a not so high quality scotch— the best the bar had to offer — pointed up at the massive chalkboard that had a seemingly never ending list of beers written in various bright colors.

“Hmm,” Sonny frowned up at the board, but then his face lit up. “Ooh, they have flights. Maybe I’ll do that so I can try a bunch.”

“You’re out of control.” It was dry and sarcastic and completely what Sonny was used to so he ignored it, much to Rafael’s disappointment.

Leaving Sonny to continue to scrutinize the offerings, trying to narrow down his choices to a mere four, Rafael surveyed the bar. He and Sonny did not fit in with this crowd. He didn’t know which made them stick out more, their nice suits or their ages, although the combination didn’t help at all.

He was about to lean over to Sonny and mention how he owed him for this, and how his preference for payment was something of the sexual variety, when he noticed a young brunette staring at him from the other side of the bar. Making accidental eye contact with her had been a mistake, it seemed, because as soon as he did, she started making her way toward him.

“Sonny,” Rafael whispered, panicked, as she approached, but Sonny had finally decided on his beers and was relaying the order to the bartender.

“Oh my God, it _is_ you,” the young woman gushed as soon as she got close enough. “I didn’t think there was any way you’d be hanging out in a place like this.”

Now Rafael’s brow furrowed, panic giving way to confusion. “I’m sorry. Have we met before?”

“Oh, no, I’m so sorry.” She placed her empty pint glass on the bar and instead of pulling back, she stayed there, squeezed between Rafael and the stranger next to him, leaning on the bar. “I’m Kristen.”

“Rafael,” he said purely out of a reflexive need to be polite that his mother would be happy was still instilled in him.

“Yes, I know. God, this is so embarrassing, but I’m such a big fan.”

Fan? He didn’t have fans.

“I’m studying CJ at NYU—law school’s next — and we’ve been following the Larkin case.” She placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. “The way you spoke at the news conference this afternoon was so dynamic.”

“Um, thank you.” Rafael wasn’t so out of touch that he didn’t realize that the way she was running her hand up and down his arm was more than just professional admiration, but for some reason he was failing to come up with a way to politely extricate himself from the situation.

“I do have to admit,” Kristen ducked her head for a second in embarrassment, but then looked up again. “I’ve researched you a little bit. The belt?” Her hand went from his shoulder to slide down his tie. “Wow.”

Rafael threw a glance over his shoulder, desperately hoping that Sonny would save him, but his boyfriend was practically purple from holding in his laughter.

Turning back to Kristen, he subtly reached up and smoothed his tie, causing it to slip from her fingers. “That’s very nice of you, but—”

“Kris! There you are!” A rather loud blonde bopped up to her. “I need you. Jason is being so—” She stopped short when she noticed Rafael. “Oh my God. It’s him.”

Now Rafael was beginning to sweat. Being recognized by one stranger had been bizarre enough.

“I _know_.” Kristen said emphatically, her cheeks turning a light pink.

“She has a picture of you hanging in our dorm.”

This time Sonny snorted behind him, unable to contain his laughter any longer, and Rafael shot him a dirty look.

“Jesus, Becca,” Kristen elbowed her friend, and then turned back to Rafael. “It’s just like, from a newspaper, I didn’t print it out or anything creepy.”

He wasn't entirely sure how he was supposed to find comfort in that clarification.

“She talks about you nonstop,” Becca continued, seemingly oblivious to her friend’s distress. Rafael assumed that the vodka on her breath had at least something to do with it. “She records all of your—”

“Okay, that’s enough. Bye.” Kristen pushed Becca back toward their group of friends and then looked at Rafael apologetically. “I’m so sorry about her. She really doesn’t know when to shut up. Anyway, I am really just a big fan of your work. You just happen to be handsome to boot.”

“She’s not wrong,” Sonny murmured behind him.

Rafael rolled his eyes, turning toward Sonny. He'd finally had enough and figured out a way to shut this down. “I’m sorry, Kristen, I’ve been so rude. This is my boyfriend, Sonny.”

“Boyfriend?”

“Nice to meet ya,” Sonny grinned, holding out his hand. “Don’t worry, that belt thing got to me too.”

“Jesus christ,” Rafael muttered, draining his scotch.  

“Nice to meet you,” Kristen shook Sonny’s hand, looking chagrined. “I um, I guess I should get back to my friends. It was really great to meet you,” she directed toward Rafael. “Good luck with the case.”

“Thanks,” Rafael said, feeling kind of bad for her as she walked away. He was old enough to be her father and quite clearly not interested in women, but he found himself admiring her guts. Of course, it was easy to do so now that she didn’t have him cornered anymore.

“She has your picture in her dorm,” Sonny snickered beside him.

“Shut up.”

“Hey,” Sonny held up his hands. “That’s what you get for being a slut for publicity.”

Rafael’s jaw dropped. “What? I’m not a— Are you serio—”

Sonny continued to laugh, but leaned in to give him a kiss, saving him from trying to come up with a rebuttal where there was none. Facts were facts. “It’s okay. You’re my publicity slut.” He grinned. “Much to your new girlfriend’s disappointment.”

“I hate you so much,” Rafael pushed him away, but there was no real fight in it.

“Well, we had a good run. It hurts, but if she’s the one you really want...”

“You’re such a child. Can we please just get back to our night? It’s bad enough that we’re here in the first place, are you really going to keep giving me shit?”

“Fine, fine. You’re right.” Sonny picked up one of the beer glasses from his flight, but then grinned over its rim. “Do you think she’ll call you daddy?”


End file.
